Live Thread: Cavs @ Bulls
2022-01-19Good evening CtB!
Tonight, NBA fans are in for a treat as the Cleveland Cavaliers venture across Interstate 90 to the Windy City to take on the Eastern Conference’s top team (by decimal points), the Chicago Bulls. The center of the NBA basketball world is yet again the Central Division as the Cavs, Bulls, and Bucks dominate the top of the standings. It should be an intense, playoff like atmosphere in the United Center.
Both teams are dealing with injuries to key players. Outside of the obvious for the Cavs, Lamar Stevens and Rajon Rondo will both be out tonight. Luckily, Dylan Windler and Brandon Goodwin have played at an acceptable level, thus there shouldn’t be any pressure whatsoever to rush Stevens or Rondo back onto the court.
As for the Bulls, they’ve hit a bit of a rough patch with injuries. They will be missing several key players including Zach Lavine, Lonzo Ball, Derrick Jones Jr., and Jevonte Green. Elite perimeter defender Alex Caruso will be back, so that should be a massive boost.
Interestingly, the betting public has figured out the staying power of the Cavs and are heavily counting on a Cavs’ win. But the Bulls have an extremely high-powered offense driven by a familiar Cavs’ foe, DeMar DeRozan. The Cavs’ defense will have to compete and dominate for the full 48 minutes if they’re going to grind out a massive road win.
As for the Cavs’ offense, they need to stay true to themselves and play through the bigs, but also find ways to get Darius Garland loose from Alex Caruso should they match them up. It will be a fascinating chess match between two teams on course to potentially collide in the playoffs.
Tip off is scheduled for 8:00PM ET and will be broadcasted on Bally Sports Ohio/Great Lakes… GO CAVS!!!
Sounds like DG’s arm thing most probably some form of stinger. Pretty tough hombre to come right back in and play.
CAVS HAVE PLAYED 3-4 MORE GAMES THAN ALOT OF TEAMS—-I WOULD THINK THAT SHOULD EVENTUALLY WORK IN THE CAVS FAVOR
SOME VERY GOOD POINTS BY NATE AND RAOUL——BULLS WERE REALLY PREPARED//CAVS FAILED TO COUNTER——-ALSO DIDN’T SEEM TO HAVE THE ENERGY OF RECENT GAMES—-MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY——THAT HAPPENS OVER THE COURSE OF THE SEASON—PLUS BULLS ARE A VERY GOOD TEAM–THEY ARE IN 1ST PLACE FOR A REASON—WE WILL SEE IF THE CAVS CAN RETURN TO NORMAL AFTER A COUPLE DAYS REST ——-AM SURE KOBY IS LOOKING TO MAKE A TRADE TO HELP UPGRADE—-GORDON WOULD LOOK NICE AS LONG AS IT IS AT A RESPECTABLE PRICE
JA didn’t play well at all…Garland kinda went missing towards the end….Markk came for revenge tonight and Love played ok…but Cedi was non factor…JB not going deep into bench with Wade or anyone else was little odd cause guys looked tired even via highlights. DeRozan doing his usual flopping but thought Caruso kept Bulls in check and allowed them to pull away. Cavs missed Rondo in this one and the youth of Cavs still needs to learn how to win in big games. Last two ‘playoff’ atomspheres and team really crumbled in crucial moments. Lessons learned of course, but I… Read more »
Not sure what was up with JA tonight…just really seemed off offensively and defensively…his worst game of the year…it happens though just hope he’s alright…
https://twitter.com/oldseaminer/status/1484002101978181634?s=20
Good points. This is kind of a mini playoff with the Bulls. This game, they responded to what the Cavs are having success with. Now it is the Cavs turn.
Agreed–that is where missing Rubio (tired of thinking this) kills them. Rondo could help, but they don’t have a second ball handler to initiate. Goodwin’s been respectable, but tough to run off-ball action only through the bigs. Ice, Stevens, Osman–any of them able to do this?
Credit to the Bulls who played well, made lots of extra passes and hit open shots. I feel like Cavs free throw shooting by everyone dropped off when Ricky got hurt.
This 4th quarter will be instructive on film. Tired minds make for predictable play, but there wont be extended rest until the break. Gotta find another gear at this point in the year. But goodness you cant have Mobley and JA on the floor without Love at the end of the 4th when Garland wasnt able to shoot from deep
Disagree. Lauri was shooting better than Love.
It should have been Love in for JA
Frustrating game. JA just not himself. Mishandling passes, missing shots at the rim, dropping rebounds…. Tough night, it happens. Can’t win every night. But we sure are getting used to it!
Dosomnu, White, Caruso have all been impressive tonight,especially defensively. I think they leaned too much on Garland for offense and it got predictable in the fourth. Bulls sitting on their swing passes.
Caruso is huge for them…. Ayo been awesome too. Coby’s improved massively.
I was pretty pissed when I heard he was playing for this game. Wonder if the Lakers would trade RWB for him straight up…lol…
LMFAOOOO couldve had both!!!! just didn’t want to pay one of the premiere perimeter defenders in the NBA!!!
Okoro gotta shoot that.
100%
Cavs have two days off, and they need it…
yup 100%
Have to say it, I didn’t think the bulls would be able to defend our talls in the paint. But they have shut them down.
refs have been friendly to derozan tonigbt and hes been on fire. we kept fighting though, just couldnt quite break thru
The referees didn’t help any. Some real bullsh#t
JB hasn’t used a challenge in weeks.
Crap. TO.
That’s game. Good fight. Markannen was awesome. Mobley & DG good first halves.
Everyone else stuck in mudd.
They gotta start rotating to wing on that corner pass. Just too easy to read.
Yikes… going in the wrong direction this one
Game over
terrible decision DG… can’t happen then.
Yep…rare mistake for him…
Afraid this is not meant to be…
Review it JB
Continuation….hmmm.
Like running through quicksand…
WOW LAURI IN AND OUT DAMN
Damn. Halfway down.
Damn. Got to within 1.
Yeah. That might be it.
Lauri fell asleep on corner.
GUARD AYO
Oh Allen….
Redeemed on the defensive end!
Big Shot Beavis!
THE BIG FINISH
The Big Finnish!
Ice !!!
Pressure from Ice!!!! Love it!!!
LAURI RAINING THREESS COMEBACK IS ON!!!
Now they got a shot!!!! Lauri!!!
Wow, Lauri…
ICE ICE BABYYY!!!
ICE!!!!
Just need 3 stops in a row to make it interesting
Lfg Cavs !!!
Afro Samurai Slam!
Maybe that’s what JA needed. We need him if we’re going to steal one
There we go JA!
Maybe that gets him going.
Oh my…JA of a great DG look…
It’s Garland time.
Lauri! Huge recovery to lay it in.
WOW WHAT A FINISH LAURI!! GREAT PASS DG!
DG playing the whole second ?
All right. Down 10. 7 min. Time to make a run.
HUGE DEFENSE LAURI!!!!!!!!!!!